It's no surprise we’re in the midst of a river cruise golden age. With far fewer passengers, elegant uncrowded decks (no waterslides or putting greens here), thoughtfully designed cabins, and intrepid new itineraries, the river cruise seems designed to coax even the most determined cruise skeptic aboard. From pioneers to new contenders, here are a few of our favorite small ships, each offering truly once-in-a-lifetime journeys.

An airy stateroom on Nour el Nil’s Meroe.

Courtesy Nour el Nil

NOUR EL NIL

The Nile, Egypt

Gliding up the Nile on one of Nour el Nil’s four dahabiyas is undeniably majestic, with their red-and-white-striped twin sails, pine decks lined with daybeds and cane armchairs, Victorian-style salons lit by chandeliers from the flea markets of Alexandria, and light-filled cabins decorated with portraits of Ottoman sultans. Originally built to carry royal families and popular among late-nineteenth-century travelers (both Gustave Flaubert and Florence Nightingale journeyed through Egypt by dahabiya), these sleek 16- to 20-passenger wooden boats, with interiors by French designer Eleonore Kamir, sail at a leisurely pace from Luxor to the ancient city of Aswan—and because of their shallow-bottomed hulls, they can drift into waters larger ships can’t. Over the six-day itinerary, you’ll pass ancient villages carved into stone cliffs, 3,000-year-old temples, cartouches covered in hieroglyphics, and riverbanks dotted with grazing buffalo (nourelnil.com; six days from $1,400 per person).

–Lindsay Talbot

The Delfin II glides through the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve on the Peruvian Amazon

Delfin Amazon Cruises

DELFIN II

The Amazon, Peru

Few ships offer better or more eco-conscious access to the Amazon rain forest than the Delfin II. The luxurious 14-cabin barge, made of polished local wood and thatched palm, plies the waters of the five-million-acre Pacaya Samiria Reserve, near Iquitos in northern Peru. From November through May when water levels rise because of runoff from the Andes, guides lead kayak expeditions to see pink Amazon river dolphins frolicking among the flooded treetops. Perhaps the biggest luxury of a three or four-night trip is the chance to spot howler monkeys, iguanas, and caimans
from your glass-walled cabin or from a deep white-cushioned armchair on the open-air deck. Until recently, this kind of up-close Amazon experience was possible only via dugout canoe. Now you can do it with a pisco sour in hand, knowing that your fare will help fund Delfin’s multiple educational and environmental initiatives (delfinamazoncruises.com; five days from $2,950 per
person).

–Alice Newell-Hanson

Pool chairs line the observation deck of the Belmond Orcaella.

Matt Hind/Courtesy Belmond

BELMOND ORCAELLA

The Irrawaddy, Burma

Belmond, which has been operating in the region for years, recently launched the Belmond Orcaella, a 50-passenger wooden riverboat that cruises the northern reaches of the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers. Still largely unexplored by foreigners, these stretches can be reached only by vessels like the Orcaella, which has an especially shallow draft. During its 8 to 13-day trips, you’ll rarely encounter any river traffic—apart from the skiffs of local fishermen. What you will see, however, are the golden temples of Bagan, rural villages, and remote monasteries and forts—many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (And at Gwechaung Fort, on the Irrawaddy’s eastern bank, you can disembark to dine with villagers.) On board, while away afternoons by the pool on the observation deck—a canopied haven of white wooden fretwork and potted palms—or catch a
lecture on Burmese culture given by the onboard crew of photographers, journalists, and local experts (belmond.com;
13 days from $5,500 per person). –A.N.H.

VIKING AKUN AND VIKING INGVAR

The Volga, Russia

The Golden Ring—a handful of ancient towns northeast of Moscow—is one of Russia’s provincial treasures, but it isn’t easily accessed (heavily trafficked, potholed roads make driving from the capital almost impossible). A far better option is the “Waterways of the Tsars” tour, a 13-day sailing from Moscow to St. Petersburg on the Volga and Svir rivers. All 102 staterooms on both ships, renovated in 2013, offer river views, and from the panoramic windows you can see colorful domed churches and monasteries in towns like Yaroslavl and Uglich. The itinerary even allows for three full days each in Moscow and St. Petersburg—ample time to take in imperial sights like the Kremlin and the Hermitage (vikingrivercruises.com; 13 days from $5,100 per person). –Molly Elizade